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Playground stabbing victim: 'I'll love you forever'

Family and friends gathered to remember 9-year-old Connor Verkerke on the same playground where he was stabbed to death by a 12-year-old boy. His great uncle remembers Connor as "the sweetest kid there ever was."
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Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press
4:35 p.m. PDT August 7, 2014

During a vigil Jaden Millet, 8 center and his friend Demetrius Snell, 9 write a message in remembrance of Michael Conner Verkerke, 9 who was fatally stabbed on Monday evening on this playground at the Pinebrook Village mobile home park in Kentwood, Mich., on Wednesday.(Photo: Romain Blanquart, Detroit Free Press)

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Several hundred people gathered for a candlelight vigil Wednesday night at the park where 9-year-old Michael "Connor" Verkerke was stabbed.

Family. Friends. Several Cub Scouts because Connor's 7-year-old brother, Cameron, was a member. And neighbors from the mobile home park in Kentwood, on the outskirts of Grand Rapids, where Connor lived.

Connor was stabbed on Monday evening and he died on the way to the hospital in Grand Rapids.

The accused assailant, 12-year-old Jamarion Lawhorn, has been charged with murder. Jamarion pleaded not guilty Tuesday afternoon in Kent County Family Court. The minor has been identified because he was charged as an adult.

"I've talked with all the boys, Cameron especially," said Stearns, 49, of Ann Arbor, who is the paternal great-uncle of Connor's mother. "He's in good spirits, but it's difficult. He wants to say to all of his friends here, thank you for coming. And he appreciates it. Hopefully, one day soon, we can play in the neighborhood, with our spirits held high and our hearts open."

Stearns said that Cameron is a hero for helping his injured brother get home from the playground.

"His brother got him back to his house, that's a hero," Stearns said. Everybody was trying to get Band-Aids to help; that's a hero. That's love. That's a community. Just remember that Connor was all about love."

Stearns said that Connor had one last message for his brother, Cameron: "Remember, he turned to his brother, and I want you all to remember this, and he said, 'If anything happens, it's not your fault. I'll love you forever.'"

Michael Connor Verkerke was stabbed repeatedly in the back at the Pinebrook Village mobile home park in Kentwood, Mich.(Photo: Family photo via WZZM-TV, Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Mich.)

After speaking for a couple minutes, Stearns wished he would have said one more thing.

"We really want people to understand there are other families going through this," Stearns said. "We get that the 12-year-old's family must be going through a living hell. It's a difficult time for them. Our heart goes out to them. Of course, it's painful for us."

"There is nothing for the family as far as life insurance for Connor," Nowicki said. "I did it out of respect for the family. It felt it was something I needed to do. Connor's grandmother and I are very close."

After a moment of silence, everybody joined together and sang: "Jesus Loves Me."